Cardinals release Smith, Benwikere; Bynes to IR

The Arizona Cardinals released veteran right tackle Andre Smith and cornerback
Bene Benwikere on Monday, a day after both players struggled in a 45-10 loss
to the Los Angeles Chargers.

"I'm not really in the business of trying to send messages or trying to be
subliminal in any way," head coach Steve Wilks said. "I'm very direct in my
approach and the things I say. If you're not doing it our way, if you're not
giving us the best opportunities to win football games, number one, you won't
be on the field and if it gets to that point, we'll move on. That's what we
did."

The Cardinals also placed linebacker Josh Bynes (thumb) and kicker Phil Dawson
(hip) on injured reserve, while promoting kicker Zane Gonzalez off the
practice squad and claiming tight end Darrell Daniels off waivers from the
Seattle Seahawks. The team still has two open roster spots.

Smith, 31, signed a two-year deal in free agency in March and started eight
games at right tackle, allowing three sacks and committing one penalty. The
10th-year veteran has 93 career starts.

Wilks announced seventh-round rookie Korey Cunningham will start on the right
side moving forward, saying the youngster earned the opportunity by holding up
as a fill-in left tackle for D.J. Humphries the last two weeks. Humphries is
expected to return soon, but swing tackle John Wetzel is out for the year with
a neck injury.

Benwikere, 27, started the last eight games for Arizona after joining the
Cardinals on a one-year deal in March. He has one interception and four passes
defensed this season.

Bynes, 29, is second on the team in tackles (75) and also has five tackles for
loss, five passes defensed and two sacks in 11 starts this season. He had
played all but 10 snaps this year before getting hurt Sunday. No other Arizona
linebacker has played more than 65.6 percent of the snaps.